Envelopes



June'4, 1929. F. J. PARKS 1,715,717

MACHINE FOR MAKING ENVELOPES Filed Dec. 5 1927 fiG. 8. 10 34 26 5 65 575.9 37

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Patented June 4, 1929.

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FREDERICK JAMES PARKS, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF 'I'OSHER- MAN W. SCOFIELD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MACHINE Fen MAKING nivvnnorns.

Original application filed May 10, 192 1, Serial No. 712,200. Dividedand this application filed December The subject matter of thisapplication is divided out of my pending application Serial No. 712,200,filed May 10, 1924, upon inachines for making envelopes.

This invention particularly relates to new and improved means forscoring and gumming envelope blanks, whereby the scoring is effected inadvance of the gui'i'iming so asto obviate the fouling of the scoringmechanism by the gum; and to a new and improved form of curling orturning knife for insuring the folding of the lateral side flaps of theenvelope blank down upon the blank body. Other detailed improvementswill be hereinafter fully described and are fully shown in theaccompanying drawing. Certain features shown in the accompanying drawingand also hereinafter referred to relate to means for gun'unin the sideflaps and the side tabs of the envelope blank whereby the same aresecured to the blank body to form the envelope side closures, and meansfor controlling the operation of said gumming means, but these gummingfeatures oftheinachine are claimed in said pending application Ser. No.712,200, from which the subject matter of this application is dividedout, and. the claims of this application are limited to the envelopemachine and the new and improved turning knife. 7

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain means eml'iodying my invention, such means constituting,however, but one of the various forms in which the principle of theinvention may be applied.

in said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan section of an envelope machine embodyingmy improvements, the section. being taken in the plane represented bythe line 11. Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section,

taken in the plane indicated by the line 2-2,

Serial No. 237,717.

proved side sealing devices described, shown and claimed herein; and

Figure 8 represents a plan view of the completely folded and gummedenvelope as it passes from the devices forming the subject matter ofthis application.

Referring to the annexed drawing, in which the several elements areindicated by the same respective ordinals in the different views, 1indicate by the ordinal 2, Figure 7, an envelope blank at a certainstage of its conversion into a complete, envelope, hereinafter fullydescribed, which has been folded so as to have a mouth closure flapdetachably interlocked with an adjacent pocket, as fully shown anddescribed in my U. SFPatentS Nos. 1,316,787, and 1580,4141, Theimprovements of this application relate only to features of an envelopemachine adapted to complete the operations upon the blank 2, Figure 7,all

as will now be described in detail, having reference to the accompanyingdrawing.

The envelope blank 2, in the form shown in Figure. 7, but lacking thegum strips 341, Fig 'ures 4:, 5 and 6, emerges from the transversefolders (not shown in this application-but shown, described and claimedin said Patents Nos. 1,316,737 and 1,580,441) and is fed into the guide16, Figures 1 and. 2, whence it is conducted into the bight of the upperand lower peripherally engaging rolls 17 and 18 whence en'ierging fromwhich it is received upon the plate 19 over which it passes to certainscoring, gumming and side sealing de vices which. will now be describedin detail;

The envelope blank 2, Figure 7 is fed over the plate 19 into certainscoring rolls and- 36, of which there are two pairs, the lower roll 36being formed. with end flanges 36, Figure 3, against which the outerend-face portions of the rolls 35 closely register to define the lateraledge flaps 32, plainly" shown in Figure 7. The end faces of the upperrolls 35 prevent the turning in of the side flaps 32 further than theposition shown in Figure 3 until. said side flaps 32 intersect the bevelfaces 40 of portions 39 of a pair of turning knives 39, Figures 4, 5 and6, which progressively fold down the side flaps 32 until they arefinally sealed down upon the envelope pornons 529 and the glue 34 toproduce the com p eiiivelope shown lfiurinp these operations theenvelope is conveyed by upper rolls 21, 41, 43 and 415, and respectivelycoo iver'atin'g lower rolls 22, 42, 1 1 and 16, over the plate 47 andvpasses therefrom to further rolls and a stacking device, not formingpart of this invention, and one specific form of which plainly shown,described and claimed in said U. S. Patent No. 1,580, 1-11.

During its passage from the scoring rolls 35 and 256 to the turning knito 239, the portions of the blank 2 designated by the ordinal 29 aresupplied with glue 3% by certain devices shown, described and claimed insaid application Serial'No. 712,200, from which the subject matter ofthis application is divided out. Briefly, this gumming operation iseffected by thefollowing means. Suitably mounted in the frame 1 of themachine is a solenoid 88 having a core 87 to the upper end of which ispivotally secured the free end of a lever 86 whose other end is securedto' a transverse shaft 89 rotatably mounted in the frame 1. Also securedto the shaft 89 and adjacent the two respective ends thereof, are twoarms 90, of which the arin on one side only of the frame is shown in theaccompanying drawing, these arms 90liavi'ng 'U-shapcd outer ends betweenthe members of which are mounted rollers, of WlllCllOIlC roller 91 isplainly shown in Figure 2. A pair of vertically-reciprocable colmnns92,- one of which is shown, suitably guidedby brackets, of which one,93, is shown in Figure 2, and guided by frame bosses 102, are supportedby the rollers 91'.

One boss'102 appears in Figure 2. These columns 92 support in'bra kctsat their upper ends a' transverse tubular shaft 84. Adjustably securedin brackets 104 supported by said transverse shaft 8et are a pair ofdepending tubular supports 20 for gunnning devices 25. These supports 26communicate intermediate their upper and lower ends witht'nbular'scctions20 connected by means of flexible tubes 27 withtubula relbow-sections 26 which in turn" receive suitable glue or other gummingmaterial from' a source of supply (not shown) through conduits 27 ofwhich fragmentary portions are shown in Figure 2. A flat spring plate'85suitably supported in the'frame 1 is formed at oneedgeintodownwardlyextending fingers or trips 23 and'24'. The ends ofthe'sefingers 23 and 21 are adjacent the upper edge of a plate 55 over whichthe" envelope blank 2 travels after emerging from the scoring rolls 35and 36, and after traversing an intermediate metal bar or plate 20l1ereinaft'er' more fully de scribed. The lower ends of these trips 23and 24whic'h contact with the plate 55 are longitudinally spaced, asplainly shown in Figures 1 and'2, for a'pnrpose hereinafter fullydescribed. Mounted upon the intermediate plate 20 and electricallyinsulated therefrom is a transversemetalbar 75, Figure 1, upon which thespringplate 85 is mounted and secured by means of nuts 60, one of whichforms a binding post to which an electric wire is sccurt'rd. The wire80leads to a battery (not herein shown) and a second wire (not shown)connects this battery and the sole noid 88. A third Wire (not shown)count, s the solenoid 88 with a landing post (not shown.) electricallyt'OlllitfCltHl with the plate 55. The frame of the machine is insulatedfrom the metallic elements forming the electric circuit which has justbeen described.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing, it will beevident that when the circuit is completed and the coil 88 is energized,the core 87 being drawn into the coil. 88 will rock the shaft 89 so asto cause the arms 90 to lift the columns 92 and consequently thetransverse shalt 81 and the brackets 10%, whereby the supports 20 andthe gunnning devices 25 will be raised into the position plainly shownin Figure 2. This is the normal position of the g-ununing devices 25 andin this position these devices do not feed gum. lVhen the coil 88 isdeencrgizcd, the gun'nning devices 25 fall by their own weight and'causegunnuing rollers (J5 to cc-n tact with the surfaces 29 of the envelopeblank 2, and properly supply and spread the gum in the manner fullydescribed in said. pending applicationSerial No. 712,200. The openingand closing of the electric circuit is controlled through the medium ofthe s prin g fingers or trips and 2 1. The lower ends of these lingers23 and 24 lie in the path of the envelope blank 2 in such a manner thatsaid blank passes under said. lower ends and raises the spring trips 23and 24; to break the circuit. This results in the deencrgizing of thecoil 88 and the consequent release of the columns 92 which are loweredunder the force of gravity and which consequently lower the gunnningdevices 25, and allow gum to escape from the gum nozzles as soon as therollcrs (i5 encounter the envelope blank. The gunnning devices 25 are sodisposed that the gum from the nozzles is deposited upon thelongitudinally arranged port-ions 29 of the envelope 2 adjacent theportions thereof which have been previously scored by the rolls 35 and36. The mechanismshown is so arranged that those portions 29 are partsof theblank body but, of course, it is entirely.

within the range of the invention to deposit the glue 34 upon the sideflaps 32. This deposit of the gluefit does not occur until the forwardedge of the envelope has passed be neath both of the fingers 23 and Itevident that until such action has taken place, the electric circuitwill'not be broken. The arrangement is such that by the time the circuitis thus broken a portion of the'envelope blank has passed forwardly ofthe gumi'ning devices 25 and consequently the gum is deposited uponthe'portions 29 beginning at a point somewhat removed from the forwardwardly of the gumming devices 25. lhis is an extremely inmortantin'iprovement in that I thereby obviate fouling the scoring devices withthe gum, which is what happens, and with a very great annoyance and lossof etliciency, \vhenthe scoring of the blank is of 'iected subsequent tothe guunning, because, of course, the gum lies open and is exposedduring the scoring operation since the scoring must be effected beforethe side enclosures 32 are folded over.

Referring particularly to Figures 53, 4-, 5 and 6,1 have devised. a newconstruction of a folding knife which obviates inconvenience and delayaused by excessive fouling of the machine by gum. This is a twopartfolding knife 39-39 YVhen the beveled curling face 40 is formed upon thebody of the knife 39, the gum 3 1: will accumulate thereunder and cannotreadily be completely removed. So I have spaced the portion 39 of theknife from the body portion 39 thereof, as plainly shown in Figures 1,4, 5 and 6, connecting the same by straps 37, so that through the mediumof the opening 38 the gum can be readily and conveniently wiped off theknife 3939*. These knives 39 are secured by means of bolts 63, Figure 1,to the frame 1, the hmgitudinal alignment of the knives being assured bymeans of straps 39 secured to aligning members 39 the bolts 63intersecting said straps 39. By means of two series of transverselyaligned holes 62 in the frame 1., the knives 39 can be adjusted forenvelopes of varying Widths. Other parts of the machine are adjustablefor different size envelopes; for instance, the scoring rolls 35 can betransversely adpisted upon the shaft 48 to which they are secured by thekey-way 4-8, a

suitable size intermediate spacing roll 50 being substituted, thesespacing rolls 50, as plainly shown and described in said. U. S. PatentNo. 1,580,441, being resiliently conlined between the pair of rolls 35to allow for the accommodation of the thickness of the envelope 2between the roll 35 and the flange 36 of the roll 36, Figure 3. Thescoring rolls 36 are adjustably secured to a transverse shaft 49. Thegumming devices 25 can be transversely adjusted upon the support 84, Inorder to accommodate the envelopes when passing between any of thecooperating parts of the rolls the shafts to which the latter aresecured are resiliently mounted in the frame 1 in yielding bearingspressed downwardly by means of springs whose tension is adj usted byscrews 53, the desired adjustment being fixed by means of lock nuts 54-,Figure 2.

Cooperative driving mechanism for actuating the feeding rolls, scoringrolls, etc., are provided (not shown in detail in this application, butwell known in various forms to those skilled in. this art).

hat I claim is:

1. In means for turning down side flaps of strips upon the body portionthereof, a turning knife having an outer body portion and an innerportion. spaced from said outer portion and formed with an inner beveledprogressive turning edge.-

2. In means for turning down side flaps of strips upon the body portionthereof, a turning knife having an outer body portion and an innerportion progressively spaced therefrom so as to form an acute angletherebetween, said inner portion being formed with an inner beveledprogressive turning edge.

Signedby me this 2nd day of December,

FREDERICK JAMES PARKS.

